Jack (1996)
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A boy born with a unique medical condition ages four times faster than normal, forcing him to navigate the complexities of adulthood while still a child.
The story
During a costume party, Karen Powell gives birth to Jack, who appears full-term despite being only in his tenth week of gestation. Medical exams reveal Jack has a unique condition causing him to age four times faster than normal. Ten years later, at age 10, Jack possesses the body of a 40-year-old man and lives a secluded life with his parents. Fearing the trauma of social interaction, his parents initially resist his tutor's suggestion that he attend school. However, they eventually agree, leading Jack to enter a school environment where he faces rejection and challenges due to his unusual appearance.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Jack is born prematurely but appears full-term, suffering from a condition that causes him to age four times faster than normal. By age 10, he has the body of a 40-year-old man. After being encouraged by his tutor to attend school, Jack faces social isolation and rejection from other children. He eventually befriends a boy named Louis, who helps him navigate the school and even asks him to pose as the principal. Jack develops a crush on his teacher, Miss Marquez, but her rejection leads to a medical emergency where he develops cardiovascular problems. Fearing for his health, his parents withdraw him from school, causing Jack to spiral into a period of isolation. After a brief stint of getting drunk and getting arrested at a bar, Jack is eventually lured out by his friends and decides to return to school. Seven years later, an elderly-looking Jack graduates from high school as the valedictorian, delivering a speech about the brevity of life.
- First release year
- 1996
- Runtime (minutes)
- 113
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Francis Ford Coppola
- Writers
- James DeMonaco · writer; Gary Nadeau · writer
- Cast and characters
- Robin Williams · Jack Powell; Diane Lane · Karen Powell; Jennifer Lopez · Dolores; Brian Kerwin · Brian; Fran Drescher · Miss Marquez; Bill Cosby · Paulie
- Genres
- coming-of-age; comedy-drama
- Themes
- aging; isolation; loneliness; prejudice
- Tone and mood
- melancholy; warm fable
- Premise and plot tags
- coming-of-age; medical condition; fantasy; drama
- Content notes
- cardiovascular problems
- Reception
- The film received negative reviews from critics, with a 17% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 31/100 score on Metacritic. Audiences gave it a 'B+' on CinemaScore.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 17% · review count: 35
- Awards and nominations
- Worst Picture · Stinkers Bad Movie Awards · 1996 · lost
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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